How Did it Come to This?
by MidnightMarchioness
Summary: Ryoma Hoshi the Ultimate Tennis Pro is hard to read to say the least, but unknowingly someone may have captured his attention. RyomaxOC set before the events of DRV3.
1. Chapter 1 Beginning of the End

How did it come to this?

Chapter 1 Beginning of the End

My feet pounded against the stone while my chest heaved from the lack of oxygen, but no matter how much I want to rest I can't, they're still too close. My scarf flew behind me as I continued to run through the deserted city streets and the longer I kept moving the more my body protested. Every muscle ached with each new stride and I knew I was losing ground when the footsteps behind me became steadily louder. I had to take a chance. Flying around a corner I skidded to a grinding halt as two men entered the other side of the alley. I backed away a few steps and turned around only to find the other two from before blocking my escape –I was surrounded.

Without a plan I bolted straight towards them. A part of me hoped that I could force my way past them, but whatever hope I had died when I felt a sharp pain pierce my chest. I went numb. I could vaguely hear the sclick of a knife when it was pulled out but besides that nothing else registered. I couldn't even comprehend my words as they escaped my lips and I fell backwards onto the cold stone. It seemed as if one moment I was standing and the next I was sprawled on my back with my lifeblood flowing out. Why? That was the one question that pervaded my thoughts. Seconds ticked by and the blood began to pool underneath me. It wasn't long before blood loss began to affect my thinking and everything blurred. Yet somehow whether it was willpower or some other force, I was able to recall the last few days to the forefront of the haze. And I wondered how things had become so dire.

I mean how did my life become so twisted that it would end like this? I was just a normal girl- I'm four foot seven with a face that could be easily lost in a crowd and a socially awkward personality. It doesn't get any more generic than that and yet I still found myself bleeding out in a country I didn't even consider home. Seconds turned to minutes and my thoughts were becoming even more muddled, but one thing managed to climb to the surface of my consciousness. It was him. The single image jogged my memory and I smiled in remembrance as the last few months flashed before my eyes.

* * *

The sound of sneakers squeaking against the court echoed throughout the stadium. Both competitors were panting but they refused to relinquish any ground to the other. They batted the ball back and forth with precision and the crowd watched in pure awe of the spectacle before them. The battle of wills lasted a full five minutes until one was able to knock the ball out of the others reach. A cheer rose from the crowd and several spectators screamed their approval. The celebration died down quickly, however, and the competitors took to their starting positions to begin once again.

Each point was a battle in their long and grueling war and each victory could quickly become another loss. Their rackets were their tools of choice and they themselves were the soldiers in a long fought skirmish. Each truly personified the term one man army. Yet their battle was drawing to a close. One of the combatants began to lose the pace and the other quickly took advantage of it to secure the victory.

A proud smirk lighted the victors face and I felt a smile worm its way to my mouth in return. I found it bizarre that someone of his caliber would be attending my high school but I tried my best not to dwell on it. The athletes shook hands with each other, and both seemed genuinely happy with the work they had put in. Even the loser seemed not to begrudge the win and the two exchanged a brief conversation. It was at this time that I noticed people were starting to filter out of the stands and I rose to follow. It was already later than I was would have liked so I decided it would be best to head straight home- I did have school tomorrow after all.

* * *

I almost didn't get up the next morning. I knew that the match would cause me to miss a few hours of sleep, but I didn't expect to be this exhausted. Slamming the button on my alarm I begrudgingly got ready for school. When I entered the school building I couldn't help but yawn. My eyes felt like bricks and I was worried that if I closed them they would never open again. Every time I blinked it was a struggle for consciousness but I slowly trudged towards my first class of the day. It was inevitable that I would blank out for a moment; I just didn't know how much of an impact it would have on my life. My eyes stayed closed a moment to long and when we collided everything I was carrying scattered across the floor. Immediately my eyes flew open and I shook myself awake.

"You alright?"

A deep masculine voice filled my ears while my eyes struggled to catch up. When everything had taken shape once again it took my brain a second to comprehend exactly who it was standing before me.

He pulled his hat down tighter over his head but made no move to help me up. I didn't move from my seat on the floor and he waited until I had control of my mouth. Even with his short stature he was taller than me as I sat, though I wasn't exactly tall either.

"I-I'm okay."

I quickly got up and brushed off my skirt. I was making a fool of myself. To disguise my awkwardness and I began to retrieve my books and papers from the floor. He looked at me skeptically and removed the candy cigarette from his mouth.

"You sure?" I nodded and gathered the rest of my belongings. Once everything was back where it belonged I bowed to him.

"Sorry for bumping into you!" I said it a little too loudly and several students turned to look in my direction. I blanched and scurried off to my classroom.

The rest of the day I avoided him just in case he recognized me. After school my thoughts took a turn for the worse as I thought about how I had completely blown my chance to impress my idol. Instead of presenting myself as calm and composed I looked like an idiot with their head in the clouds.

Sighing I opened the gate to the practice court. No one would be here until around five thirty so that gave me plenty of time to release my pent up frustration. I left my bag by an available bench and went to grab my gear from my locker. I didn't actually have anyone to practice with so usually I would just hit the ball back and forth against the wall until I missed. Occasionally I would practice serves but I was so bad I didn't really feel like it today. Removing one of the tennis balls from the container I faced the wall and raised my racket. I swung through and all my stress melted away in the blink of an eye.

It was cathartic and methodical work that occupied my hands but left room for my thoughts. I meditated on my day and let the muscle memory guide me through the motions. Practicing always helped me to view things with a clear conscious and I came here almost every day for that reason alone. I lost track of how long I kept the ball in play but at last I finally missed the return. Loosening my grip on the racket I eased my stance and sighed in satisfaction.

"What are you doing here?" I dropped my racket in surprise and it landed perfectly on my foot. I clutched it in pain and jumped up and down to keep my balance. When the pain ceased and I could walk again I picked up the offending object started again. At the very least it made it impossible for him to read my expression, and consequently my thoughts.

"I'm practicing."

"I can see that, but why?" I missed the ball again and sighed in annoyance before getting another.

"It helps me think."

"Hmmm." He didn't say anything for a while as I continued. Ball hitting racket was the only sound besides my sneakers and I found it soothing for my newfound nerves. I did my best to ignore his presence and continue uninhibited but his gaze on my back made it impossible and I missed the ball far sooner than I had last time.

"Your zone defense is pretty good." The comment took me by surprise and I froze in my spot and looked away.

"Oh uh T-thanks." I went to retrieve an already used ball but kept dropping it the more I tried to pick it up. Several more attempts later and I just decided to bounce it into the air with my racket and catch it. I assumed he had left during this but when I turned he was still there leaning against the fence face unreadable. His compliment kept ringing in my mind and my stress was starting to return because of it. Gathering the rest of the tennis balls I prepared to leave.

"You ever consider joining the tennis club?" I stopped packing my gear and looked to see if he was serious, apparently he was.

"No it didn't occur to me, besides I'll probably get bored after a while and pick up something else." I said that last part more to myself -It was the truth after all. I was more of a jack of all trades kind of person, good in most master of none. Plus I would get bored being tied down to one sport and my lack of interest usually translated to poor performance. Once I finished packing up I zipped my bag and slung it over one shoulder.

"Ryoma Hoshi."

"Huh?" I hadn't even started walking and he had stopped me in my tracks.

"I never told you my name its Ryoma Hoshi." I was pretty sure there wasn't a person in school who didn't know his name but I decided it would be best to keep that to myself. I met his eyes carefully.

"Saiyuri Sato."

We had a silent exchange for a minute while both of us let the scene play out to determine the other. Neither of us ended up breaking the silence and I finally left the court not quite sure what to think of Ryoma Hoshi the Ultimate tennis pro.

* * *

 **So how was it? Feedback of any kind is very welcome, criticism or no. Anyway for those of you who have finished the game (If you haven't what the heck are you doing on ) I know this doesn't line up with the canonical ending of the game. Please keep in mind that I started this before finishing the game and darn it I'm finishing it! Lastly in regards to the character of Ryoma I feel like pre-killing game he would still be stoic just less jaded than his portrayal in DRV3. Anyway that's all so adieu.**


	2. Chapter 2 Impressions

Chapter 2 Impressions

My fifteen minute walk to school the next day was a quiet one. My old light brown trench coat hung loosely across my shoulders and my scarf was furled around my neck to ward off the cold. According to the forecast, it would warm up later in the day, but I didn't mind lugging around the extra clothing. In all honesty they gave me a sense of security that nothing else did. Both of my parents had insisted I purchased some cold weather clothes before I moved so I went out and found the scarf and trench coat for cheap at a thrift store. I wore both anytime I could ever since. Perhaps it was because I had chosen them for myself but I found the old fashioned style to be distinctly me in every way. Sure the coat hung loose here and there and the scarf was near to threadbare but it didn't matter to me. I treasured both above anything else I owned, even if I did have to carry them from class to class every day. My train of thought came to an abrupt end when I stood in front of the familiar double doors. With a sigh I pushed them open and began another day of school.

* * *

When the final bell rang I made the decision to practice again today, it was a great stress reliever if nothing else. Removing my bag from my locker I took out the racket and balls and set them on the ground near my feet. Next I carefully folded my coat and scarf and placed them inside the bag, it would be better than leaving them out in the sun while I practiced. Carefully I zipped up the bag and grabbed my gear. A part of me hoped that he would show up today, but I knew better than to depend on it.

For a while I practiced in silence. It was only when I sat down for my break that I heard chattering nearing the gate. I checked my watch. It was only four thirty but I assumed some of the tennis club decided to come early for a change. I quickly gathered up my things but before I could leave a group of about five students came through the fence chatting away. I stayed silent and did my best to blend into the wall but they noticed me anyway as I tried to sneak past.

I swallowed as the lead guy came over and his intense gaze evaporated my confidence in seconds.

"What are you doing here? These courts are for the tennis club members only." The edge of commanding superiority in his voice caused me to flinch and I dropped my gaze to my feet.

"W-well I-I j-just thought-"

"Stop stuttering and speak!" His voice rose and I could feel eyes prying into me from every angle.

"No one comes here till five so I thought it would be okay to practice." My voice was barely more than a whisper and I bowed deep in apology. However, he only seemed to become more upset with the answer I gave him.

"So you admit you have practiced here before." Venom seeped into his voice with every word and I could only nod for fear of rousing his anger.

"Unless you plan to join the tennis club you are not allowed to practice here or do I need to get the principle to come spell it out for you?" I was near tears at this point and the emotional stress he was inflicting caused me to snap. I curled my fists and glared at up at him.

"Who gave you the right to decide that?! You're just a jerk who decided that rule arbitrarily so that only you and your friends have exclusive rights to the courts. Well guess what it's not your court or my court it's the schools court and I don't work my butt off every day to come to this school so that jerks like you can tell me where I can and can't go at any given time!" Tears had started to fall down my face halfway through but I didn't care. They could see me cry all they liked but it didn't change the fact that I was right.

He knew it too but it only made his blood boil. His fists tightened until they were white and I knew if I had been a boy he would have already punched me to the ground. The tension in the air was palpable and I backed away from him in fear.

"Well said." I looked behind me in relieved surprise. Ryoma and what looked like the managers of the tennis club walked through the gate and the student in front of me turned pale.

"Junzo I would like a word with you." The coach motioned for the boy before taking another look around the court. The other students were avoiding looking at him directly.

"On second thought I would like a word with all of you." Each of the students looked panicked but had no choice but to stagger over to the coach. While they were all huddled together being scolded Ryoma came over and gave me a reassuring smirk and thumbs up.

"How did you know?" I was baffled at how he had gotten here at exactly the right moment with the managers. He closed his eyes and chewed on his candy.

"I didn't." He left me with that and walked away.

* * *

I wasn't sure what would happen the next day but something in my gut told me something _would_ happen. I found the feeling to be correct when during lunch somebody tapped me on the shoulder. I looked over my shoulder to find no one within reach so I returned my attention to my meal. It wasn't even thirty seconds before I received another tap. Annoyed I spun around to face the culprit.

The only thing between us was his lunch tray and we were so unintentionally close I felt my face flush. Was it always this hot in here?

"Mind if I sit here?" He was unaffected by the proximity and spoke normally.

"N-no." I found myself wishing that I didn't stutter when I was nervous. He sat across from me and I decided to forget that had ever happened.

"Don't talk much do you?"

"No." For once I mastered my accursed stutter as I looked anywhere but at him.

"Heh that's alright sometimes silence is better." We spent the rest of lunch in silence while the conversations around us filled the void. I kept my eyes firmly affixed on my tray while I played with my food; my thoughts eating up all of my attention. He was enigmatic to say the least, but the silence we shared was a comfortable one and eventually I found the courage to lift my head to look at him. He smiled warmly. By the time the bell rang we both had let our guard down in each other's presence no conversation needed. He was the one to stand up first but when he picked up his tray he didn't leave.

"If you want I could help you practice after school." It was more of a statement than a question, not that I would say no, he was still my idol after all.

"Sure." I picked up my tray and we both quietly headed for the exit together.

* * *

The end of school left me feeling anxious and my stomach twisted itself into knots on my walk to the courts. I knew my serves weren't even on par with an amateur and my physical game suffered heavily without a partner. At best I knew how to hold a racket and swing properly besides that I was basically a novice with little to no actual experience in a real match. The anxiety threatened to overwhelm me and when my walk of shame led me to the gate I nearly turned around. Luckily, Ryoma had already spotted me at that point.

"Glad you could make it." He gave me a thumbs up and lead the way through the fence. I took longer than usual to stretch and warm up, but when I could delay no longer I grabbed my racket. As he prepared to serve I took my starting position and steeled my nerves. It happened before I could even react.

The ball whizzed past my face and I could only stare completely dumbfounded as I looked from Ryoma to the ball behind me.

"Hmm I thought you could get that. Well I'll go slower this time." He grabbed a ball from his pocket and prepared again. I was determined not to miss this one and when the ball came at me I hit it back so hard it flew over the fence. This happened more times than I could count and I grew more frustrated each time it soared over the fence. When I finally couldn't take it anymore I threw my racket down in defeat.

"I'm so useless, how can it be this hard!" I pounded my fists against my head and ground my teeth.

"Honestly it's not as bad as you're making it out to be. You're reaction time's decent you just haven't had enough practice against an actual person." I sighed. He was right of course I was probably just overreacting. He bent over to pick up a ball at his feet and tossed it to me.

"Now let's see your serve." I gulped. I knew I was going to make a fool of myself even more so than before. Throwing the ball into the air I stretched my arm up swung hard aaaaaaaaaand hit the fence way above his head. I stood frozen in my finishing position while embarrassment flooded over me and turned my cheeks pink. Without any comment on my serve he tossed me another ball and told me to try again. I did with similar results. There was no way I was going to shame myself for a third time so I told him I needed a drink of water and he let me leave. When I returned somewhat composed I was about ready to call it quits with tennis altogether.

"Ryoma I don't mean to be rude but I honestly don't think tennis is for me. I mean practicing is fun but I would rather not humiliate myself any further." He chewed on his candy cigarette for a moment in contemplation.

"Just let me try one more thing and if it fails you don't ever have to pick up a racket again." I decided to give him a chance and reluctantly took my spot at the edge of the court.

"No stand near the net." I quizzically moved forward until I only about a foot and a half from the net.

"Alright I'm gonna hit you a ball and I want you to hit it back as many times as you can." I readied myself once more and he swung me an easy target. I swatted it back to his side and he returned it with ease. This kept up for a while with the game being easygoing, but once I had returned enough he began to pick up the pace.

All at once he was hitting it harder and faster and it took all I had to keep up. The ball hadn't escaped me yet and I was going to keep it that way for as long as possible. With my current position I didn't have to run to keep up with the ball and I was doing something I never would have thought I could do. I was an impassible wall, and not only that I was in an intense contest with Ryoma. He was moving at lightning speed to keep up with my passes and I hit harder to try and overcome his speed. For a while this kept him on his toes but when I accidently knocked one too close to him he intercepted it and swung it back twice as hard. I couldn't react in time and the ball nailed me in the face as everything went black.

When I came to he was hovering over me looking guilty. "Sorry I got to into it." I could only stare up at him as my vision swam. I closed my eyes to ward off the nausea and his voice became distorted. After a while I felt something cool on my forehead and I was finally able to open my eyes without the world spinning. "Thanks."

"There's no need to thank me I was the one who hit you in the face." I smiled tiredly and pulled myself up enough to sit.

"You were right about tennis."

"Well just because you don't practice with another person doesn't mean that you're bad at tennis. In fact your zone defense is even better than mine."

If I thought about what he said too much I would likely faint so I felt the swollen bump on my forehead instead. The contact made me flinch; it was probably going to be sore for a while. "Yeah well I guess I know why you're a tennis star."

It took me a few seconds to register what I said and I hesitantly stole a glance at him to see if he had noticed. He didn't look any different from normal and I gave a slight sigh. "You sigh a lot you know."

"You heard that?"

"I hear a lot of things most people don't." I suddenly found myself hoping no one was gossiping about me within earshot of him. I stole another look at his face and found a hint of a smile. My whole being burned and I buried my head in my hands out of complete mortification.

"Don't worry its nothing to incriminating and I won't tell." When I lifted my head up he gave me a smirk before heading for the gate. "See ya tomorrow."

After he left I got up slowly to give my head time to adjust. My legs wobbled a bit but otherwise the worst was over. Just to be sure I put on hand on the fence and followed it back to the gate. To my surprise my equipment was stacked neatly against the fence. I grinned; maybe he cared more than what his appearance suggested.

* * *

 **Heyo, so how was the second chapter? I hope my main isn't to boring but I feel like she should be a sort of opposite of an Ultimate student. I feel like it makes things more interesting and gives her room to grow. Anywho feedback is always appreciated and I hope you have a fantastic day!**

 **-MidnightMarchioness**


	3. Chapter 3 Small Steps

Chapter 3 Small Steps

The next day he waited for me by the gate and instructed me in ways I could improve. I assumed it was out of guilt for hitting me in the face the day before because he had no other reason to help me otherwise. However he continued to show up every day after school and I soon found both a friend and a coach that I couldn't find elsewhere. He was patient when I failed and encouraging when I succeeded and my confidence grew with each day that passed. I felt that I was truly growing as both a person and an athlete under his tutelage.

Day after day he would coach me and before I knew it a month had passed. Already I felt stronger than I had been before. I could practice for longer now with fewer breaks and the changes that had been so hard at first were starting to seep in and make sense.

"Hi Ryoma." I opened the gate and set my bag aside. It still felt weird to say his name but after countless attempts I figured out how to say it without stumbling over every syllable.

"Hey Saiyuri." He didn't move his eyes from the target as he threw the ball up and swung. I could only barely detect the ball before it collided against the fence and sprung away. It rolled across the ground and into the net as I looked from him to the ball.

I was left in sheer awe. Not only was he accurate, but there was a serious amount of strength behind that serve. It was simply astounding how much raw ability he had for the sport despite his height.

Unbeknownst to me I had been staring for about a minute and it took me another before I came to comprehend what I was doing. I instantly snapped to attention and tried to keep my face neutral from what I felt. When I looked over he was leaning on the racket handle with a smirk pointed straight at me. I couldn't control the blush that rose to my face so I tried to direct the attention away from me.

"W-what do you want to work on today?" Even after all the time I had spent with him the stutter would still escape every once in a while.

"Serves." My steps became choppy. I had been dreading this for the entirety of the month but I knew if I wanted to become better I would have to practice serves at some point.

"Okay." Resigning myself to the oncoming humiliation I set my stuff down and moved to the corner of the court.

"I'm just going to watch you the first few times so just do what feels right and we'll go from there."

I took a minute to psyche myself up before I threw the ball into the air and swung. I tried my best to imitate the pros but it was hard when you couldn't actually see yourself performing the actions.

My racket came down and the ball flew straight towards the next court over. Ryoma seemed impartial to my mistake and threw me another ball. I tried not to repeat my mistake again only to have the ball fly straight into the net. How the shame hadn't killed me yet I didn't know but I kept at it until he motioned for me to stop.

Sighing I grabbed my water bottle from the bench and popped the top off. I slid down against the fence and he stood beside me during the water break.

"You're trying too hard." I was in the middle of drinking and nearly choked. I swallowed it all down quickly to speak.

"What?"

"You're trying so hard to do it right that you end up doing it wrong. If you would stop thinking about it so much you should be fine. You just need to stop trying to force it." He pulled his hat down over his head and took out another candy cigarette. He chewed on it while I meditated on his words.

It made sense that I would be trying too hard in front of him. I had admired him from the start of his career and now to have him standing beside me was almost surreal. However I knew that if I wanted to get better I would have to put away that feeling and do the best I could for myself and no one else.

"Alright one more time." I heaved myself to my feet and placed the water bottle to the side. Snatching up the discarded racket I faced the opposing side with a newfound confidence. For the umpteenth time that day I threw the ball up in the air and brought the racket down, only this time I let myself relax into the motions. The ball landed on the opposite side, a natural ace.

"Perfect." Did I hear that right?

"Excuse me?"

"The serve was perfect." He touched his hat and chewed harder on the candy. I was starting to wonder if he fiddled with his hat out of boredom or embarrassment but that was a question for another day.

"Thanks." I was glad I didn't stutter this time but I still wouldn't dare to look him in the eye right now.

"You're welcome Saiyuri." He said it nonchalantly, but I still felt a twinge of excitement when he said my name. I couldn't help that I still idolized him as much as I did even after getting to know him better.

"You sure you still don't want to join the club?" The topic change caught me off guard and I froze for a minute in deliberation.

"I-I know you really want me to join Ryoma, but I just don't think I would have fun in an actual club. I mean it's very competitive and having to work as hard as you guys do will just make me hate tennis." I knew my answer would disappoint him, but it was the truth.

No matter how much I wanted to please him I just couldn't deny that forcing myself to join would make me miserable in the long run. I didn't think it was fair to either me or Ryoma to join only to end up regretting it later.

"I'm sorry." I bowed to him and was suddenly struck with déjà vu. I smiled; it was just like the first day of school all over again. However the smile quickly faded as worry took over. What would he think of my answer?

"There's no need to apologize I was just asking. I figured you would say no anyway." He shined a genuine smile to show he was fine and I felt my heart melt.

Inside I was celebrating. The thought that he would ask again had been gnawing at me for a while and I was worried what would happen if I refused again. I was glad to see nothing had become of that fear.

"Come on dinners on me." I decided I couldn't have heard him right and remained silent.

"I've been working you to the bone for a month now you need a reward for putting up with me."

Was-was he asking me out on a date or was it just as friends? I could feel my brain reeling at the first possibility, but through the cloudy mess I somehow began to pack up. I couldn't remember how I got to the restaurant, what time it was, or if I should be here at all. All I knew was that I was having dinner with Ryoma.

"You okay you look a little pale?" I snapped out of my entranced state to notice he had his hands behind his head and was nestled against the back of the booth.

"Yeah I'm fine just tired from practice is all." A thought occurred to me when I mentioned practice that made me wonder if this truly was a date.

"Um aren't you supposed to meet with the club after school?" He switched the fake cigarette from one side of his mouth to the other.

"They can go one day without me." The waiter finally came to take our drink orders and the more time that passed the more I was convinced that this was a date. However I couldn't think about it too much unless I wanted to be incoherent for the rest of the night. To distract myself I engrossed myself in the menu until the waiter came back, but after we ordered I had no escape.

"So how's practice going?"

"I'm always trying to improve but I've still got a ways to go."

"Yeah me too." I had said it without thinking about it and felt my cheeks become enflamed. Of course he knew he was coaching me for Pete's sake!

"You're coming along though you have a lot of natural skill you just need some power to back it up." I relaxed when he said it like that. Around him I didn't feel like I had to correct a mistake but rather learn from that mistake and move on. If he wasn't already a tennis star I probably would have suggested he become a coach.

"You don't need to force yourself to speak you know. Like I said before sometimes silence is better than words."

There it was again with his compassion. You would think his skill would make him prideful but it was quite the opposite. He really did care more than he let on and I found his subtlety to be kind of cute. The thought of what he would say to that made me giggle out loud.

"What's so funny?"

"It's nothing." I did my best to make it sound unimportant and tried to stifle another rising giggle.

"Well now you've got me curious." Before he could really press further about it our food arrived.

I had decided to go with something I knew both for flavor and price. In truth I was really picky when it came to food and since Ryoma was paying I didn't want to experiment with something new. I could do that in my own time with my own money. We ate quickly and the air grew quiet again. I still couldn't figure out how I had become relaxed in such a short span of time, but that could wait till later when I was alone. For right now I wasn't going to question it. Life had a funny way of doing things so who was I to question its almighty judgement.

We did end up talking after a while and I found that the conversation flowed easily between the two of us. He was always bringing up new stories and most of the time I could find a similar experience I had had when I was a child. If not he would plunge into another story without any prompting. I'm not sure what it was but he always knew when I had something to say and would intentionally give me a break to let me voice my thought. Honestly I never would have guessed he had so many adventures throughout his childhood but I guessed that it was just my anxiety that kept me from experiencing it.

We talked the rest of the evening and hours passed like minutes between us. Before I knew it dusk was fast approaching and he had offered to see me home. Blushing I accepted and as the cool night breeze brushed my skin I felt content for the first time in a long while.

"Thanks for dinner Ryoma."

"You thank people to much Saiyuri I already told you this was a reward for working so hard." He pulled his hat down and I smirked inwardly. He did pull on his hat when he was embarrassed.

"Well then thanks for walking me home." He shook his head at me and took out his package of candy cigarettes for a new one.

"Want one?"

"Sure." I always was curious why he constantly had one in his mouth, perhaps tasting one would solve that mystery. Placing half of it into my mouth I tried to pinpoint the flavor. When I thought I had it I took it out and held it in between my fingers.

"Strawberry maybe?"

"Wrong. The flavor is called fruit heaven and this is the only brand that makes it. Supposedly it's a mixture of every type of fruit on the planet. I don't know if that's true or not but whatever it is its addicting." The irony of the candy hit me once he explained.

"I guess it's fitting they're cigarettes then." He didn't respond but I could swear I heard a low rumbling sound. It took me a full minute to realize he was laughing. It was only just slight but that I had made him laugh in the first place was an accomplishment in and of itself.

"I've been eating these since I was a kid and I never even realized. I guess I've still got a ways to go." He put his hands behind his head and leaned against the apartment wall. The candy cigarette bobbed up and down in his mouth and he closed his eyes, a light smile gracing his features.

"Why do you always say that?"

"Hmmm, say what?" He opened one eye lazily.

"I've still got a ways to go." He took the candy out of his mouth and looked up in thought.

"Well it's the truth isn't it? People are always striving for perfection but they never do attain it. Even so if you don't try you'll never know how far you can go." It was silent for a few minutes as I engrained every word he had said in my heart.

"You're really wise, you know that Ryoma." I could swear I saw a faint blush on his face before he pulled his hat down and turned away.

"Anyway see you at practice Saiyuri." He walked off without looking back. He really was adorable even if he didn't want to be.

* * *

 **Yay I finally got this chapter the way I wanted it to be. I hope you like the results and as always feedback is very welcome. Next chapter should be up sooner than this one (hopefully) and as always I hope you have a fantastic day.**

 **-MidnightMarchioness**


	4. Chapter 4 Trust Issues

Chapter 4: Trust Issues

I don't have the slightest clue how it happened but soon after we would take turns buying dinner once a week. It became a sort of experiment to discover what kind of foods each of us liked and disliked. I soon came to realize that he had a soft spot for deserts with his favorite flavor being vanilla and I also was forced to admit just how picky I could be when it came to food. More than once I didn't eat the entirety of my meal and he offered to buy me something else off the menu. I would refuse of course; there was no way I would have him waste his money like that. In most cases he would order dessert and after much convincing we would split it.

Perhaps that was his way of making us get to know each other better; he always was one for subtle tactics. In his own way he was trying to bring us closer together and without realizing it we were spending all of our free time with each other. In a blink of an eye six months had passed but it felt like I had barely known him a month.

We were inseparable and our friendship grew stronger as the days flew by with changing seasons. He gave me the security I craved and in return I gave him someone he could confide in. We balanced each other out in a way I wouldn't have thought possible and I was content.

Or at least I was until he found that cat.

* * *

With the rate I was progressing he insisted on practicing as often as possible so we ended up practicing on Saturdays in addition to school days. I always enjoyed the weekend practice more even though it ate up most if not all of my free day. I speculated that it was because we weren't pressured for time and could go at a slower pace than on the weekdays. Satisfied with the work we put in we would end around noon to grab lunch before parting ways to spend the rest of the day resting.

Today was no different and as I had just finished rounding up the stray tennis balls he motioned for me to stop.

"What?" I said slightly confused. He remained silent but pointed to the top of the fence. A tan colored Tabby had perched itself precariously on the top and appeared to be unable to get back down. It was about ten feet from the ground to the top of the fence and a bad fall could cause serious injury to the cat.

"How much do you weigh?" I gave him an offended look and he rolled his eyes.

"Just tell me. If the cat can't get down by itself I'll have to vault you up to it."

"Shouldn't it be the other way around with me vaulting you up?"

"Only if you're confident you can catch me if I fall." Given my track record of bad luck I could very well miss if I tried to catch him.

"Alright I'll do it but I'm not telling you how much I weigh." He shook his head but put his back against the fence for support and cupped his hands. He gave me a nod to signal he was ready.

"Okay now or never." I backed up and took a deep breath. I launched myself into a run and when I placed my right foot in his hands he heaved me upward. I latched onto the top of the fence and hung there for a second as a thought occurred to me.

I was wearing a skirt.

"If you look up I will murder you."

"Oh please give me some credit." I decided to trust him and pulled up to rest on my elbows. I then lifted one leg and placed it onto the other side of the fence so I was sitting on the top.

"Alright here kitty." I reached towards the cat and picked it up surprisingly easy. I figured it would be startled of my presence but it seemed content when I held it in my arms. Keeping the cat secured I carefully lifted my leg back over the fence to sit on the edge.

"Okay I'm com-"The cat squirmed in my grip and trying to maintain my grip made me lose my balance and teeter over prematurely. Somewhere on the way down I lost the furball and the next thing I knew I was on top of Ryoma staring him straight in the eyes. I froze for a few seconds as my brain tried to catch up with my predicament. To be fair he didn't try to move or push me off either and so we remained there for a good thirty seconds as I was sure that my heart had stopped altogether.

Only when I brought myself to look away did I come to my senses. I frantically jumped to my feet and turned away as my face became the darkest shade of red. The cause of the accident was a few feet away licking itself as if nothing had happened. It looked up for a brief moment, its tongue caught mid lick, before resuming its grooming. When I threw a quick glance over my shoulder I found that Ryoma had yet to still get to his feet and was sitting up blinking slowly. I quickly averted my gaze. Gathering my courage I turned around and offered a hand to help him up. I could only hope that I didn't look like a love-struck puppy dog as I smiled. He adjusted his hat and took my hand with a visible blush.

"Sorry I tried to catch you but you're heavier than I thought. "

I couldn't reply as the cat had hold of my tongue. As if sensing my predicament the tabby had come over and started rubbing it cheeks on my leg. Welcoming the distraction I knelt down to pet it and felt its soft fur run between my fingers. It purred in delight and continued to rub up against me as I stroked its luxurious coat.

"Looks like you have an admirer. " I didn't dare to speak so I nodded. However it wasn't long before my new friend abandoned me for Ryoma. Its tail flicked back and forth as it looked up at him and gave a meow. He leaned over and picked up the fluffy being and it purred heavily when he began to stroke it.

"Traitor." I mumbled under my breath even though I had a smile on my face. Ryoma held the feline tenderly and his countenance softened with every stroke of the cat's fur. My heart and soul melted from the utter cuteness.

"I wonder if this little guy has a home." He mused aloud.

"I don't think he does. He's too light for a cat his size" The tennis pro glanced at me in curiosity and I twirled my hair from the sudden attention.

"I'm a cat person." This seemed to placate him and I watched him mull over my answer.

"Well if he doesn't have a home then I think I will give him one." The cat seemed to purr louder in agreement and he readjusted its position in his arms before he directed his attention to me.

"Could you get my bag? I want to take this guy home before we get lunch." With how happy he was I wasn't going to risk shattering the moment so I grabbed both of our bags and followed him. He lived about five minutes away from the school and as we came to the porch I felt awkward again. He moved the cat to one arm so he could retrieve his keys and unlocked the door. When he opened it he released the cat to roam the halls before he turned to face me.

"You want to come in; I figure we could cool down before heading out for lunch."

"S-sure." I followed him into the entry hall and he flipped on the light switch.

"Feel free to leave the bags on the table." There was a small table at the end of the hallway before it opened up into the main bulk of the house. Carefully setting our bags down I watched him saunter off after the cat and I couldn't help but take in the new surroundings. Just from the outside I could tell it was a decent sized house, especially for one person. Well I guess one and a half now.

I cautiously removed my shoes and set them by the door before stepping into the next room. A brown leather couch was positioned in front of a flat screen TV in the center of the room, and I could only conclude that this was the Livingroom. I was tempted to sit but a nagging feeling in the back of my mind had me second guessing myself and I just stood there awkwardly glancing about the room. Ryoma returned with two bowls in his hand and set them down by the kitchen doorway for the new resident. With that accomplished he offered me a tour of the house which I gladly accepted. The first thing I noticed was that he had converted one of the two bedrooms into a study area of sorts complete with a desk and office chair. Another room was closed off and presumably unused by the dust on the doorknob. I had to admit that I was jealous with how much extra space he had in comparison to my tiny apartment. I couldn't hold it against him of course; he was pretty famous by this point.

"I was lucky enough to rent this place on the cheap while it was still available. If I had to guess I'd say your apartment is half the size for twice the price." He was right about the price point. I had to work overtime on Sundays just to be able to make it to practice and still afford rent, and that was on top of working late nights on school days.

All in all I was exhausted but after a while I just got used to the feeling of being perpetually tired. Plus it wasn't like I could move back in with my parents either. I mean they were on the other side of the country and I had to practically beg to move here. Having to crawl back to them would just be humiliating. So I could stand to be tired for the sake of my honor, besides I was genuinely happy I moved here. After all I had made a good friend and that was reason enough to keep me going through the tough times.

"You okay, I know you don't speak much but this is quiet even for you." We had finished the tour and had taken to sitting on the opposite ends of the couch in front of the TV. The cat had followed us around as if it was also taking the tour with us and eventually came to sit at my feet.

"Yeah I'm fine just thinking." The cat jumped up on my lap and curled into a ball to sleep. I smiled and scratched it between the ears.

"I guess he's switched sides again." I giggled and the cat turned over to get more comfortable.

"Hey Ryoma about earlier…." I couldn't finish the sentence.

"Would you like a soda Saiyuri." He had already gotten up and left for the kitchen. I guess he didn't want to address it either.

"Orange if you have it." I yelled over the back of the couch. He came back out with two cans and tossed me one. For once in my life I caught it perfectly and popped it open. It was ice cold and I enjoyed the sensation of the burn as it glided down my throat. Normally I would prefer ice but sometimes it was refreshing even without it. This was one of those times.

"Steve." I diverted my attention to Ryoma who was staring intently at the feline from his reoccupied spot on the couch.

"A bit generic don't you think." I took a gulp of my soda.

"Hmm, well it was the first thing that came to mind."

"Well then how about Patches considering his fur pattern."

"And you called mine generic."

"Hey at least mine is actually based on an attribute." Our play fighting continued until we finally settled on a name. By this time the cat had woken up and I picked him up to get a good look at his face.

"King is a good name for him." I set him back down and he jumped off the couch to stretch after his nap.

"As long as he stays with me he'll certainly be treated like one." He leaned over and extended his hand. The feline seeing this immediately came over to rub against it. The smile that came to his face was pure, carefree, and something finally clicked in my brain.

I loved him; I loved Ryoma Hoshi the ultimate tennis pro. It felt like my world was simultaneously crumbling and reassembling itself in this new light, however, if it was for good or bad I couldn't tell yet.

"Let's go ahead and head out; the lunch rush should be over by now." I nodded mutely and picked up my bag on the way out as I tried to put my thoughts back in order. It had taken me six months to be able to speak around him normally and now I had this dumped into my lap. What was I going to do?

"Um." I stated without thinking. He stopped walking and turned to me partway.

"Are you finally going to tell me what you've been thinking about all day?" The candy bobbed up and down in his mouth and he gave me that closed eye smile that only he could pull off.

"Well I, you see, I sort of-"Neither my mouth nor my thoughts were cooperating with what I wanted to say so I ended up stumbling over my words.

"I just wanted-"He held up his hand to stop my rambling.

"There's no rush so tell me when you're ready." He turned back around and all I could think about was if I would ever be ready.

* * *

Lunch was nerve-racking to say the least. Every ounce of progress I had made to overcome my social anxiety seemed to implode into ruin ever since my revelation. Every sideways glance and smile would make me retreat further into my cocoon of insecurity. This feeling was new and uncertain and the unknown territory filled me with apprehension and doubt. Change was what I feared. Everything up to that point in my life had been constant with every decision being my own, but now….

I hadn't chosen this.

"Saiyuri?" I lifted my head and hoped that my swirling emotions weren't visible, but when our eyes locked I knew he had seen right through me. His brow knitted together and he removed the candy from his mouth in a sign of almost hurt. I could tell he was perturbed that I hadn't told him what was wrong, but how could I? He was the source of my internal conflict in the first place. Electricity sparked the air from then on and I breathed a sigh of relief when we finally left the restaurant.

"Have I done something to upset you?" He refused to look me in the eye.

"No it's not what you've done specifically." I prayed that wasn't too much of a hint.

"So it does involve me then." I could only nod as a wave of guilt washed over me. The last thing I wanted was for him to blame himself when it was my fault for not being able to confront my own feelings. Yet what else could I do? He deserved the truth at least even if I couldn't bring myself to tell him the actual cause of my problem.

"I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong Saiyuri." He sighed.

I knew in my heart he was right, but I still hesitated. If I told him I could never take it back and the thought alone was enough to make my throat tighten.

Silence was our constant companion on the way to my apartment; a never-ending reminder of the decision weighing on my mind. When we climbed the stairs to my door you could cut the tension with a knife. I reached into my pocket for my keys fully intending on escaping inside my meager apartment before things could become any worse.

"Goodnight Ryo-"Before I could slide the key into the lock he forced himself in between me and the door and remained there unmoving. I was utterly dumbfounded at his actions; he was never this forward about getting what he wanted. Stubborn yes, but never had he been so direct in his methods. Had it been any time other than this I would be blushing like mad but right now I was annoyed.

Thoroughly annoyed.

"I'm tired could we please do this another time." Frustration bled into my tone but he didn't move from his spot. In fact he leaned more of his weight on the door.

"Ryoma!" Annoyance had led to anger and his indifference was only sending my tired mind into a frenzy. For a brief moment I considered shoving him to the side but thought better of it; he was probably stronger than me anyway. Instead I turned on my heel and huffed as I rested against the railing of the second floor.

There was no breeze tonight and I actually missed the cold air as it brushed against my skin. However with its absence I could hear crickets chirp from their hiding places nestled in the grass. The steady and melodic quality of it quickly melted my anger and replaced it with shame. I had yelled at my friend and he didn't even deserve it. The consequences of my actions flickered across my mind and I rested my forehead against my arms to block it out. I forced myself to focus on the metallic surface that I rested against. I relished how the cold metal bit into my arms and sent a shiver up my spine. Anything was better than thinking right now.

Before too long an audible sigh came from behind me, accompanied by the steady thump of footsteps when he came to rest on the railing beside me.

"I guess I should apologize, it was selfish of me to push you for answers when you are clearly torn yourself." He retrieved his package of candy cigarettes and popped a new one in his mouth.

"Is it really that obvious?" I twisted my head in my arms to look at him.

"Yeah sorry but I can read you like a book." I laughed slightly with bitterness tinging my voice and turned my head to look out from the balcony.

"If only that were true." The symphony of crickets grew louder and the moon shone down over their concert.

"What are you implying?" The intense stare on the side of my face made him impossible to ignore. Why couldn't I just keep my big mouth shut and quit while I was ahead?

"I-I wasn't implying anything." Of all the times to stutter my voice had to pick this exact moment.

"Quit dodging the subject and tell me." The intensity of his stare worsened by the second to the point where I could feel sweat trickle down the side of my face despite the cold against my skin.

"I don't want to." My voice cracked halfway though and his expression became instantly guilt ridden.

"Sorry I was pressing you for answers again." He pulled on his hat and looked away, chewing on his candy all the while.

"N-no I'm the one who should apologize I should be able to tell you but I can't, and I'm just scared." Admitting it seemed to alleviate some of the burden on my mind. Maybe I could tell him? He headed towards the stairs and a dark cloud seemed to follow him. It tugged at my heart and I finally made my decision.

"Ryoma." It was barely a whisper but he stopped and turned.

"You say something?" Now or never.

"I-I like you." It wasn't exactly what I wanted to say but it was good enough for now. He seemed to be frozen in time for a few seconds before he smiled and laughed. There was a deep timber in that laugh that eased all my concerns and lifted my spirits.

"Is that what's been on your mind? I figured you would have caught on by now but technically we've been dating for a while." He pointed at me with his candy. I could only look at my feet and try to blend into the floor. My face was threatening to melt completely. I felt like such an idiot.

"Oh." My embarrassment had complete control of my throat at this point and nothing but the smallest sounds were going to get past it.

"Anyway see ya on Monday Saiyuri." He turned the corner and trudged down the stairs. I was thankful that he had left me to my thoughts. Slowly I pulled the key from my pocket and unlocked the door.

I fully expected to wake up at some point to find myself in class with the teacher yelling at me about falling asleep. Yet time passed and my weary body begged me for rest. First things first though, I had work tomorrow and a shower was in order. I quickly threw my clothes off and jumped in the steaming hot shower. I rested my back against the tile and let the water wash over me without care. It took me twice as long to complete my routine but when I finally finished I turned off the water and reached for a towel. Now at least I could have a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning instead of having to drag myself out of bed for a shower. Hastily I slipped into my pajamas and collapsed onto the bed, I didn't even have enough strength to get under the covers. I fell asleep like that hopeful that tonight wasn't just my imagination.

* * *

 **Sorry about the long gap between updates. Its getting close to tech week for the musical we're performing and this is the time when teachers like to pile on the homework. On the bright side this is a longer chapter than usual (For me anyway) so I hope you enjoyed it. This chapter was a blast to write and I had a lot of fun with it. Anyway as always feedback is very welcome and I hope you have a fantastic day.**

 **-MidnightMarchioness**


	5. Chapter 5 Facade

Chapter 5 Facade

"Saiyuri another customer needs to be seated!" I quickly rushed out of the kitchen to serve the food I was carrying. The restaurant I worked in was small so I ended up playing the part of both waitress and steward. Most of the time it wasn't a problem as I worked late at night which circumvented most of the hassle. Most of the time wasn't Sunday right before the lunch rush. Expertly I served three tables in a row and ran back to the kitchen to drop off the tray. It was miraculous how I never once dropped anything while at work but I guess the stress made me efficient. I once again charged through the kitchen door and up to the entrance to seat the new customer. At this point I was in full work mode so it took me a few seconds to believe who was in front of me.

Why was he here?

To his credit he looked just as surprised to see me as I was to see him. He even did a double take to make sure.

"Saiyuri?"

"Ryoma?"

"Saiyuri another orders ready!" I flinched and did a quick glance behind me towards the kitchen before grabbing a menu from the steward's desk and dragging him to a table. I then handed it to him and told him I would be back in a minute. Sprinting back into the kitchen I picked up the tray full of food and steadied it on one hand to push open the door. Once clear I ran to and fro from table to table delivering food and refilling drinks. Only once things began to calm down did I return to his booth. His gaze followed me when I approached and I could only assume he had watched me flit around as I worked. I knew he would have questions but I never could have predicted what his first one would be.

"Do you always wear a skirt?" I looked down at my knee length black skirt and blushed slightly.

"Not intentionally." The fact of the matter was that the owners enforced a dress code for all employees so it was either slacks or skirts; I obviously chose a skirt.

"Well I like it either way." I blushed harder and took out my pen and notepad. If regular Saiyuri couldn't speak to him, work Saiyuri could.

"Okay what would you like to drink?" I gave him the biggest brightest smile I could. That was another thing the owners enforced. Smiling. Whatever you do smile, whatever you feel smile. Smile, smile, smile. It was an art that I had come to master over the course of my work and I had to admit it was useful.

However late the meal was could be fixed with a grin and a free dessert. A bad day could be made into a better one with a well-timed smile and a few kind words. It seemed that whatever problems life could throw at you a smile would make it a little better. However, it was an action that I used solely for work. Once I had tried doing it around my classmates and people had gotten the wrong impression of me. That was when I decided to keep my work persona away from the normal me.

I clicked my pen as he looked over the menu for a minute before ordering his drink.

"Grape soda." I smiled again and this time it was completely genuine.

"Coming right up." I scanned the tables and booths to see if I was needed anywhere before heading back to the kitchen to fetch his drink. When I returned the menu was already neatly folded and placed on the side of the table.

"Here you are." I placed the soda on the table and fetched a straw from my apron.

"I assume you're ready to order." He rolled his eyes and I scribbled down his order and headed back to drop it off at the kitchen. I felt oddly unnerved having Ryoma visit my workplace mostly because the entirety of my work persona was fake.

The enforced rule of constant smiling gave me an air of confidence that I was far from feeling. It was a mask I had become accustomed to wearing during work and yet now I was struggling to decide between, the facade and the true me. I tried my best not to think about it as I fetched customers' checks and delivered more meals. The good thing about waitressing was that It was methodical work, only interrupted by seating more customers and occasional interactions.

I remembered how my first day of working here was nerve-racking, but it became better once I realized no one cared who I was. To them I was just a face that served their food and refilled their drinks; I wasn't a person to them. I suppose it was the same both ways. I hardly ever remembered a customer's face unless they regularly visited and even then I couldn't recall their names.

And now to have Ryoma here felt strange.

"Here's your food." I picked up his plate off the tray and set it down as the fake cheeriness invaded my voice and mannerisms. The lunch rush was in full swing and I didn't have time for chitchat. I placed the empty tray under my arm and turned on my heel to head back to the kitchen. The iron grip on my hand wrenched me back from the depths as I stared at him wide eyed.

"Sai- Saiyuri another order!" The shout from the kitchen interrupted what he was about to say and I looked from him to the kitchen door in panic. He looked deeply disturbed about something and I was afraid of what would happen if I left. However, at last he let go of my wrist and nodded that it was okay as I rushed back through the kitchen door.

* * *

It was amazing how much was accomplished during the lunch hour. Somehow I managed to be everywhere at once and no customer was left unattended for too long. The time always seemed to pass by in a blur whenever lunch came around probably because I was twice as busy as anyone else in the restaurant. I breathed a sigh of relief when the clock struck one thirty. I was allowed a half hour break so I could eat and I was always so exhausted I would collapse into a booth, only this time I had company.

"You look horrible." His bluntness was unwanted at this exact moment.

"You do this every Sunday and we'll see how you fare." I teased him playfully and he chuckled humorlessly. Just then the person filling in for me came to take my order. He was only half committed to the job and I always had to make amends with customers afterwards when I took over. I made it a point to annoy him whenever he had to wait on me for lunch because no matter what he always had to smile.

"May I take your order?" The grin on his face was clearly plastered on and he was struggling to keep it in place.

"Orange soda with the breakfast platter." My order almost never changed but he still had to come take it anyway. He left and I heaved a sigh.

"Saiyuri what happened earlier." I gulped slightly. He was staring at me intently as if searching for answers from the slightest movement.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." I had a vague idea of what he was referring to but I still hoped it wasn't what he had wanted to talk about.

"When you served my food you seemed so impersonal." I cringed inwardly.

"You're not the most expressive person either you know." He shook his head and bit harder on the candy in his mouth.

"You're more open than you think Saiyuri. You might not know it but you give enough to where I have an idea of what you are thinking. To see you so closed off like that was…..disturbing." I thought about what he said.

I was in full work mode at the time and the only thought on my mind was what I had to do next and the consequences of failing to achieve it in time. I knew that I was putting on an act but I didn't think it was as bad as what Ryoma was saying. Before I could voice my conclusion the waiter came back with my drink and the most sarcastic smile on his face. Once he left Ryoma glared daggers at his back.

"What's his problem?" His voice had gone down an octave to the point where it was almost a growl. I didn't know his voice could go any lower.

"We're just not on good terms, ignore him." Ryoma continued to give the waiter the death stare until he retreated into the kitchen. I decided to pick up where we had left off.

"I honestly think you're overreacting about this." He slowly took his eyes off where the waiter had disappeared.

"No I'm not Saiyuri I know how it looks when people fake emotion and every part of you at that moment was false. The only time you stopped pretending was when I grabbed your wrist, if I hadn't you would have kept up the charade." I could see he was getting aggravated but whether it was at me or himself I couldn't tell.

"I don't know why it's so important how I act at work." He was grinding his teeth on the cigarette and it finally snapped in half.

"Because you of all people shouldn't have to put up a front!" He had never raised his voice in my presence and now that he did it shook me to my very soul. The sheer determination in his eyes meant the world to me at that moment and for once in my life I felt like I meant something more than just, well a nobody. He had meant every word and he wasn't ashamed to admit it. I didn't even notice when tears cascaded down my cheeks and a smile took over my whole face. The joy in my heart was real and if I had died right there I would've died happy.

"Did I say something wrong?" He misinterpreted my tears and I shook my head and smiled brighter.

"I'm just so happy I'm crying."

For the rest of the day nothing could shake my spirits, not when the waiter served me lunch five minutes before my break was over, not even when Ryoma left the restaurant. I was truly on cloud nine and my heart was gliding through the sky. I couldn't help it when I danced from table to table, the joy was just to overwhelming to contain it. Then when work was finally said and done I hung up my apron and waved goodbye to the chef. Yet no matter how happy I was today tomorrow would be even better, after all tomorrow was Monday.

* * *

 **So how do you like it? Forgive me if their are more mistakes than usual I couldn't edit quite as much as I normally do because of play practice and my proofreader (a.k.a my sister) has been slacking of as of late.**


	6. Chapter 6 Validation

Chapter 6 Validation

I gently pushed open the gate and set my bag on the hot concrete. He stopped to wave at me and I unzipped my bag and took out my racket before zipping back up. Making my way onto the court I knew what I wanted to achieve today.

"Ryoma?"

"What?"

"I want you to go all out against me today." Surprise was etched across his face for a fraction of a second before he grinned.

"Alright but be careful I don't want a repeat of last time."

I never worked so hard for anything in my life. The lunch rush was nothing compared to this. He truly was the ultimate tennis pro in every sense of the word. Even so I wasn't going to give up; I had worked too hard just to throw it all away when things got tough. Serve, swing, return to center, rinse and repeat until even my aching muscles faded into the background. I conceded so many points but I wasn't going rest. Not until I had scored one, just one against him. If I did everything I had done would be validated and I could hold my head high. For all my determination I knew I couldn't keep this up forever if I was going to score it had to be soon. I rallied my energy and kept my eyes sharp.

I saw my chance.

Knocking the ball to the farthest corner of the court I knew he had a lot of ground to cover if he wanted to keep the ball in play, even with how fast he was. While he was preoccupied I moved closer to the net and waited. I was in my best position I had been all match. Deflecting the ball left and right I forced him to waste all his energy trying to keep up, and I could do so all while conserving energy. I only realized how close I was to succeeding when I saw how heavily he was breathing.

Alright now!

I swung hard and fast to the opposite end of the court. He lunged for it but missed by an inch. I stood stock still as a gigantic grin took over my entire face.

"I did it! Yes!" I jumped high in the air but when I landed I accidentally slipped on my heel and fell hard on my back.

"Ow." I hurt all over but I was too proud to care. I even laughed at my predicament.

"Well glad to see you had fun." He trudged over and plopped on his back beside me. We were both totally exhausted but we couldn't care less. We let our breathing settle while the sun beat down on us and I was sure I would have a tan line by the time I left. Eventually we both sat up and basked in its warmth.

"That was a good match." He looked happier than I had ever seen him and proud too. Tennis was his passion after all so I guess that made sense.

"Yeah I thought I would never get past you." For all my belief in myself I knew I would never truly be able to beat him in a one on one match no matter how long I practiced. I had only managed to score one point after all. Despite that I was still happy for my small victory.

"Once you started using your zone defense I knew it was only a matter of time before I slipped up." His honesty was refreshing.

"If it's coming from you then it must be true." I giggled.

I don't think either of us fully comprehended how close we were at that moment, at the very least I didn't. There was a strange gleam in his eye and he looked like he was considering something.

"Ryoma-" He leaned closer and when our lips connected my brain stopped functioning. My stomach did a one eighty and my eyes closed of their own volition. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing so I let him control the kiss. He tasted of candy and it reminded me of when he had given me one of the cigarettes. It was bliss.

We parted once we both ran out of air and I pulled my knees to my chest to rest my chin. Half of me was doing somersaults and the other half had left the building. I still couldn't quite believe what had happened and I touched my lips in disbelief.

"That was your first kiss wasn't it." I nodded my head ever so slightly.

"Hmmm." He leaned back on the ground and rested his hands behind his head with closed eyes. I thought about doing the same but buried my face in my knees and closed my eyes. My head was swimming and the butterflies in my stomach showed no sign of leaving unlike my thought processes. Was this what it was like to be in love and to be loved back? A darker thought came to mind about how just because he kissed me didn't mean he loved me but I pushed it aside. Thinking like that would only ruin the moment.

It was a while before I lifted my head to glance at him. He had remained unmoving since our kiss and only the steady rise and fall of his chest told me he was still in this world. He looked...content was the best way to put it. A little smile pulled at the corner of his mouth and no matter how much I knew he hated it he looked adorable. When the thought passed I quickly averted my eyes; the last thing I wanted right now was to be caught staring. Instead to distract myself I asked the first thing that came to mind.

"How's King?" He didn't open his eyes but I knew he was thinking when his mouth twitched.

"Adjusting. He's been eating a lot but I think once he gains some weight he'll be fine."

I left it at that. After all sometimes silence was better. Sweat dripped down my forehead and chin and I reached up to wipe it away. Sitting in the sun for so long was making me thirsty and I got up to fetch my water bottle from the bench. Pulling of the cap I tilted my head back and took a big gulp. Replacing the cap I thought of a way to spend more time with him.

"Hey Ryoma." I heard an affirmative grunt from behind me.

"Do you think we could go see King?"

"Sure." I took another drink and went back to get my racket. He was still lying down with no sign of moving and I knelt over him debating if I should do something. Eventually I bent down close enough to the point where our noses were almost touching. I knew he knew I was there because he was fighting to keep the smile off his face. Honestly I didn't know what had come over me to make me so brave but I wasn't complaining; it wasn't very often that I was this confident. I stayed there for a minute while the smile grew bigger and when he could contain it no longer he opened one of his eyes while I grinned down at him.

"You wanna get back to practice?" He closed his eye and took a deep breath.

"Yeah alright." I moved away to let him get up and we finished for the day.

* * *

We skipped dinner and instead opted to head straight to his house to see King. When the door opened the cat was sitting in wait at the end of the hallway and gave a soft meow when he spotted us. Without thinking about my actions I meowed back in perfect imitation. If Ryoma thought it was strange he gave no indication and I set my bag down on the familiar table. The tabby let another cry and I knelt down to pick him up and carried him into the Livingroom.

"Who's a good kitty?" I scratched his head some before I planted my face in his neck fur and exhaled. He purred in complete bliss and I rubbed my cheeks up and down against his back. When I pulled my face away to take a breath I rubbed circles on his head with my hand.

"Hmmm, never seen anyone do that before." Ryoma had taken a seat on the couch and was watching my interaction with curiosity.

"What you haven't thought to do that, I mean they do it all the time." He raised an eyebrow but didn't comment further on the subject. I continued to pet the cat as I made my way to the couch and when I set him on my lap I glided my hands up and down his back.

"Keep that up and he'll never want you to leave." I threw him a quick smile while I massaged the tabby. He watched for a few minutes before he got up and snatched the cat from my hands.

"Hey!" He sat back down and began from where I left off.

"He's my cat I'm allowed to steal him." He gave me a teasing wink. Crossing my arms in feigned anger I huffed while I watched them from the corner of my eye. The cat didn't mind the change of hands in the least bit and kept purring his indulgence. Minutes ticked by and the longer Ryoma petted the cat the more his expression softened. It took all I had not to let out an awwww. Instead I placed a hand on my heart and grinned from ear to ear. He seemed to be completely engulfed in his own world. The candy moved up and down in his mouth in time with his hand and a smile that was becoming common place graced his lips. I wanted to see how long he would keep this up and thought of a brilliant plan.

"Do you have a cat brush?" He didn't look up.

"Front table middle drawer." I looked where I was instructed and found it was exactly where he had said. Coming back to the couch I tossed it at him. He caught it right before it hit his face.

"Nice try." I giggled and he started to brush King's coat. If the cat thought he was happy before then he was in heaven after the first stroke of the brush. He lay on his side and purred louder than before.

"What happened to not spoiling him?" I sat beside him on the couch and played with King's tail as it flicked from side to side in adulation.

"I never said that I couldn't spoil him." I caught the tip of the tail in between my index finger and thumb. I held it there for a few seconds before letting it go and trying again. It was like trying to catch a fly with chopsticks and I found the game amusing if not a little challenging. I kept up my little game until Ryoma set the brush aside and gave the cat one final pet for good measure.

"I think you've had enough attention for one day." Setting King gently onto the carpet the feline headed in the direction of the food bowl.

"If my landlord didn't charge for pets I might consider stealing him. Any of my cats at home would get annoyed if I held them for too long but King just can't seem to get enough."

"Mmmhm." We both watched the cat stride out of the room fully earning the title of King. When he disappeared from my line of sight I leaned back against the couch and closed my eyes. The fatigue from work yesterday still lay heavily upon me but it only felt overpowering now that I had the time to relax. I knew full well that I shouldn't fall asleep but the temptation was quickly overpowering everything else. I tried to open my eyes but the willpower to do so was gone and it wasn't long before sleep claimed me entirely.

* * *

When I awoke I had no conception of how much time had passed. During my sleep I had nestled into the corner of the couch but what surprised me was the thick blue blanket gingerly set atop me. Tired though I still was I forced myself to sit up. Light was steadily coming through the blinds so I guessed I hadn't slept for too long.

"Oh you're awake good." Ryoma entered from the kitchen carrying a light green mug. I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders and took the beverage when he offered. I took a sip of the drink and felt my brain struggle back to life.

"What time is it?" I took a bigger sip of the cocoa to wake me up faster. I was glad it was cocoa and not coffee, I really did not like coffee.

"About eleven-thirty." I nearly spat out my drink onto the tan carpet.

"AM?" He nodded. My panic was rising rapidly and I set my drink aside to avoid spilling it on myself because my hands were shaking.

"I already called the school and told them you were sick." My panic was still climbing despite his steady tone and calm voice.

"B-but I had work last night!" I felt like curling up in a ball and dying. I had never, ever missed a day of work not even when I was deathly ill. To make matters worse I hadn't even called in to let them know I wouldn't be coming. I would be lucky if I didn't get fired.

"Saiyuri." I couldn't hear him. Worry encapsulated my thoughts and as the stress piled up everything else vanished to the back of my mind.

"Saiyuri…..…Saiyuri!" I still didn't notice him and he finally lost his patience.

He took me by the chin and kissed me hard on the lips. That finally snapped me out of it. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around his neck desperately wanting some way out of this crisis. It was too soon when we ran out of breath and were forced to part for air.

"Sorry." I had calmed down considerably and now twirled my hair around my index finger in guilt.

"No problem, just try not to worry so much." I nodded solemnly.

"I-I should probably head home." I slowly made for the front door and he silently followed behind me. Grabbing my bag off the table I slung it over my shoulder and headed for home.

* * *

It was a nice day outside and it was a shame I had to stay indoors in order to keep up my 'sick' alibi otherwise I would have spent every minute of it on the court. I purposely took the long way to my apartment but all too soon we climbed the stairs to the third floor.

I was disappointed. How I wished that school and work didn't eat up so much of my life so that we could spend more time together. Sure we practiced together every weekday but at most I could only spare two hours before I had to rush to work. Saturday was always the best day of the week but I worried that I ruined our fun because I was never one hundred percent.

"You're worrying again." I came to my senses and found myself staring at my door. Shaking my head of those thoughts I took out the door key and slid it into the deadbolt.

"You want to come in?" He politely declined but hesitated to leave.

"What is it?" Even in my state of perpetual exhaustion I could tell that something was off. He never hesitated. I watched him from over my shoulder while he seemed to wrestle with something. I almost moved to comfort him but he turned on his heel to face the stairs.

"It's nothing." He headed down without looking back. Now I was worried and for an entirely different reason than before. Either he didn't want to tell me because it involved me or it was serious enough that he thought I would worry. Neither was appealing but I only had speculation as to which was the actual cause. Sighing I turned the knob and entered. He would tell me when he was ready it was only a question of when. I closed the door behind me and leaned heavily against it while something occurred to me-

He hadn't said goodbye.

* * *

Yay another chapter completed! This one was easier than last chapter but still took me a while to edit because I knew what I wanted to do I just wasn't sure how to accomplish it exactly. Now with this uploaded we're very close to the end of the story (waaah). Seriously though I didn't think this one would be as tough as it ended up being but I guess I'm just a bad judge. Anyway as always feedback is very welcome and favorites are always appreciated and lastly have a fantastic day!

-MidnightMarchioness


	7. Chapter 7 One Spark of Hope

Chapter 7 One spark of Hope

Wednesday was the worst day of my life. First during school I had to deal with missing a day of both classwork and homework from all five of my main classes not to mention electives. I doubted I would get any sleep that night for that reason alone but then I had work to add to the already gargantuan pile. However the worst thing was when I didn't see Ryoma among the students.

During the morning hours I had assumed we had just missed each other in the hallway but when lunch arrived and he was nowhere to be found I could only conclude that he hadn't come to school today. His hesitation to leave yesterday sprang to the forefront of my mind but I shook it off. I was probably just worrying too much again. I barely made it through school without a nervous breakdown and when the final bell rang I headed straight home. Ryoma wouldn't be there anyway so practicing would just waste energy I needed for the rest of the day. I did homework for a few hours before forcing myself to leave the apartment for work.

The minute I walked in the door the manager was on top of me and giving me a speech about how I couldn't just skip work. When at last he sent me to the kitchen I was near tears.

He kept a close eye on me for the rest of my shift and the other waiter was having a field day watching me suffer. Luckily I didn't get fired, I was too good of an employee to simply let go because I missed one day of work.

* * *

Thursday was slightly better than Wednesday with one exception; Ryoma still didn't come to school. At this point I knew worrying was warranted. My calls went straight to voice mail and no one had seen or heard from him before Wednesday. Something was horribly wrong and I had to find out what.

The minute school ended I headed straight for his house. We had walked to his house enough times to where I knew the way by heart. When I strode across the front lawn I became uneasy. The familiar creek of the wood underneath my feet did little to alleviate the feeling as I stood on the porch and worked up my courage. Taking a breath I knocked loudly on the door. No answer.

Several more raps and still no response. At this point I was nearing full scale panic and took hold of the doorknob. Turning it my heart stopped when I was met with no resistance. It wasn't locked. I opened the door halfway to find the hallway dark. In a frenzy I felt for the light switch and flicked it on.

The sight before me chilled me to my core. The furniture was thrown around in disarray with some pieces even being turned over completely and others torn to shreds. Anything of remote value was strewn across the floor and smashed beyond repair. Windows were shattered with shards littering the floor and doors were kicked off their hinges to lie uselessly on the ground. Nothing was left where it had once been originally.

Whoever had done this was clearly not here to steal anything, and I was so distraught that I completely forgot about everything else as I walked through the mess. It was only when I heard a muffled cry that I remembered that Ryoma wasn't the only one who lived here.

"King!" I dropped my bag and began to frantically search the house for the feline. I threw aside anything that could have been big enough to cover a cat and dug through rubble. In the midst of my searching I heard a faint scratching sound and stopped dead silent. It was coming from a back room and I scrambled up from where I was searching.

"Meow." I did my best impression to get the cat to keep responding. I looked around the study and heard another cry as well as some scratching from the small closet. I quickly pulled the door aside and King eagerly bounded out of the cramped space. For a second he was overjoyed until he too seemed to realize something was terribly wrong and came to sit at my feet. He looked up at me and meowed in distress. I couldn't blame him the house was practically a wrecking zone now. I picked up the tabby and that seemed to calm him somewhat as he stopped his meowing. I made my way back through the debris and picked up my discarded belongings. One thing was clear as I left the house, Ryoma was in deep trouble.

* * *

I took King to my apartment from there. Technically I wasn't allowed to keep a pet but right now finding Ryoma was my biggest concern. Everything else could wait.

I set the cat down on the carpet and immediately reached into my pocket for my cellphone. I dialed his number and held my breath. I mentally counted each time it rang until it went to voice mail. My heart fell. No matter how many times I called there was never a response. I knew it was fruitless to hope but I still did anyway; only to have it dashed each and every time.

Three days with no response of any kind.

I shoved the phone back into my pocket and removed my shoes. I couldn't even bother to remove my coat as I set my shoes to the side only out of habit. I didn't know how to feel right now. I was torn between so many different emotions. Anger, worry, sadness, they were all fighting for control and it left me ….tired. I was just tired of this, whatever this was.

I dragged myself to the bedroom and spread myself across the bed. I closed my heavy eyelids. I desperately craved the relief of slumber but my turbulent thoughts made it impossible. My stomach let loose a grumble but I ignored it. Time itself seemed to vanish from existence until I heard the steady pitter patter of rain against my window. The beating of my heart echoed in my ears and I breathed in time with its consistent rhythm of beats. If it stopped right now I would die and in all honesty I wouldn't have cared.

I just wanted to fall asleep and never wake up.

Slowly but surely I was falling into despair. Nothing mattered anymore. Sure I could get up, go to school, and work hard but what did it amount to? Nobody cared that I did my best, nobody cared that I had to work late into the night to afford my apartment. Nobody cared that I existed at all. So why bother? I opened my eyes and stared up at the dimly lit ceiling.

"Why should I try at all?" I didn't expect an answer ...but one came anyway.

My phone rang on the nightstand and I turned my head slightly to look in its direction. The will to move was gone and I blankly stared at it.

"Saiyuri." My pupils dilated. I was up in seconds and holding the phone to my ear.

"Ryoma?" I was in disbelief. I was more likely to believe this was a dream then that after three days of silence that _he_ had called _me_.

"I don't have much time and I need you to listen." Whatever question I had died on my tongue; his tone of voice left no room for argument.

"You have to get out of the country tonight but don't go to the airport that will be the first place they will look for you."

"Who-"I tried to ask.

"There is no time to explain Saiyuri." I clamped a hand over my treacherous mouth.

"Go somewhere far and not anyplace you have friends or family. Also leave your phone they can trace it to your location. I'll try to get in contact again as soon as I can but until then you can't contact anyone, and I mean it Saiyuri." He stopped for a moment and I held my breath. Was something wrong, did whoever they were find him?

"I love you Saiyuri-click" The line went dead. My arm holding the phone fell to my side and I blinked several times. What was happening? For all my questions I had no answers and no way of getting answers.

The half hour I spent packing went by in a blur. I crammed as much as I could into my biggest suitcase but it still only held about a third of my wardrobe. I leaned all my weight on it as I struggled to zip it until I finally brought the top down enough to where it could close properly. Heaving it from my bed to the floor I left it there to go search my desk. I opened the bottom drawer on the right and removed some of its contents to reveal the hidden compartment underneath. I placed the wad of bills gingerly inside my coat pocket. I always had a few hundred dollars set aside for emergencies.

Rolling my suitcase to the doorway I grabbed my purse and slung it over one shoulder before I went to find King. I found him curled up into a ball sleeping soundly on the Livingroom floor. I hated to wake him but I didn't have a choice and picked him up. What was I going to do with him? If I was going on an extended trip overseas it would be hard to take him with me. In a flash of inspiration I ran outside and knocked on the next door over. An elderly woman opened the door and I prayed she was a cat lover.

"I'm sorry for interrupting you but I'm going on a trip overseas and I was wondering if you could look after my cat while I was gone." I bowed as deeply as I could with a cat in my arms. She looked torn for a second but finally she nodded and I transferred the bundle in my arms. King purred deeply and she looked sweetly at the tabby and scratched him on the head. I thanked her once again and took one last look at the cat she held before I returned to my apartment.

Checking my watch I felt for the keys in my pocket to lock the door. I hit a rectangular object and remembered Ryoma's warning from earlier. Right...no phone.

I removed it from my pocket and headed back into the bedroom. Setting the phone face down on the nightstand I stared at the picture next to it. Gently I picked up the frame to take closer look at my parents. I would miss them. Removing the back I folded the picture into fourths and put it in my pocket. At least I would still have a picture of my family even if I couldn't speak to them.

For all I knew I might never see them again.

I tried my best not to let the thought consume me but I still found myself writing a note anyways.

 _To Mom and Dad_

 _If you're reading this then I guess something terrible happened to me and I haven't come back to my apartment. I just wanted to say that I love you guys and that you shouldn't be sad. These last few months have made me feel that I actually have a purpose in my life. You see I found somebody and I truly love him. I only now found out that he loves me in return and I haven't been this happy in years. He makes me feel that I'm worth something so no matter what happens I'm just glad I got to be part of his life because he gave me mine._

 _I love both of you,_

 _Saiyuri_

I read the note over again and was amazed at what I had written. I had meant every word and now I could only hope that I could tell those same words to Ryoma. I quickly folded the note and wrote- Mr. and Mrs. Sato- on the top. I prayed that it would never come to the point where they would receive it.

I left the letter next to my phone and grabbed the handle of my suitcase as I headed out the door. After locking it I looked from the stairs to my overstuffed suitcase and wondered how in the world I was going to get it down those stairs without breaking my neck.

* * *

Sadly all we have left is the epilogue. Its been fun writing this little short story and I hope the journey has been worth it. I'll post the epilogue either today or tomorrow depending when I finish editing. One last note is I was thinking of writing an accompanying fic where Ryoma finds Saiyuri's note, but it isn't essential to the story. If you're interested in seeing it PM me. Alas all stories must come to an end and we have reached the end of this one, oh and if you're interested I am currently writing another short Danganronpa V3 story. Anyway I'm done rambling now so have a great day and Adieu.

-MidnightMarchioness


	8. Epilogue A wish

Epilogue A Wish

The rest passed by in a vague timeline of events. After much deliberation I rode the bus a couple hours south and found a ship that would take passengers. I had decided to head for Europe because I had always wanted to the almost the entirety of the voyage I had was riddled with sea sickness and slept fitfully to ward it off until I arrived at port. Then the bus ride to the hotel passed by at a crawl until I was uneventfully shoved off at my destination. In the end I dropped off my luggage in my room and had just left for dinner when-

I blinked. A dull pain ached in my chest but feeling was almost completely gone from my body. My vision was just a colorless blur and my eyelids grew heavier. Blood trickled down the side of my mouth but I didn't have the strength to wipe it away.

Those months truly were the best moments of my life.

No matter how this ended I wouldn't trade them for the world or the universe even. Truth is I'm not scared to die anymore. I had meant something to someone and it was all I could have asked for; to love and be loved in return. I smiled softly. It was bittersweet that it would all end like this. I just only wish I could have told him-

 _I love you too Ryoma._


End file.
